


"i nap a lot, but for you i'll keep going."

by Sprinkles257



Series: The Bedside Tables Have Turned! [2]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Angst for plot (and because I love it as much as fluff), Fluff, Frisk both kills and spares, Gen, Gender-Neutral Frisk, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Innocent Papyrus, Mild cursing in the narration, No one dies - but it's mentioned, Sans (vaguely) remembers Resets, Sickfic? Who knooows~, The skeleton brothers have an argument, This has a lot of flashbacks/memories in it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-03
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2019-01-05 03:14:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,814
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12181830
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sprinkles257/pseuds/Sprinkles257
Summary: A certain skeleton feels more tired than usual. He feels energetic too somehow, almost feverish - in both senses of the word. Could the Resets finally be catching up to his already low H(o)P(e)? Another certain skeleton feels vexed because his brother is acting weird and he doesn't know why. This is going to be a rather tricky puzzle, hm?





	1. Crimson in the Snow

**Author's Note:**

> BOY HOWDY, THIS IS LONG. I LOVE IT!  
> This could be considered a companion piece to "I'm too Busy to Sleep!", but it can also stand alone. Sorry if this isn't very original.  
> Here are some things to note for later:  
> \- Sans can remember Resets, but only vaguely. Like, he knows they happened, but he can't remember any details - except for the major ones (Papyrus's death, for instance.) It's like a lucid dream, you know?  
> \- If I ever write Chara, they're not going to be a good kid. They won't be "evil" per say, but not good in the slightest. They probably had a little bit of killing intent, but they didn't interfere with Frisk. If you have a different opinion, that's okay.  
> \- I'll admit, Neutral Frisk reflects how I act in video games. I'll do crazy things in games for the sake of curiosity. Most times I'll be nice to all the characters, but after that, I wonder what would happen if I did something different. Except in first-person shooters, like Halo (I don't play Halo anymore, but FPS games are fun.) Then I'm like "DIE DIE DIE ALIENS *I die* ARGHHHHHH!!!" XD  
> \- Past events will be in italics.  
> Sorry if my depiction of grief is inaccurate. I've never felt it so I can't describe it very well. ^^;  
> -  
> Anyways, sorry for rambling. Thank you, and please enjoy!

   Sans was at his sentry post near Snowdin forest - the real one, not the cardboard one. His eye lights were fixated on nothing in particular, hazy. They were still, except for the faint quivering all irides do. He felt very odd today. He had this feeling of fatigue in his bones, but also anxious, like something (or some _one_ ) was coming. He knew what it was - it would be a human. 

   The small skeleton sometimes had - what were they? dreams? flashbacks? flash _forwards_? - whatever those things were. He learned from them that the human was very unpredictable. They weren't evil, but they weren't good either. Just a child, curious as to what would happen if they did this or that. He couldn't remember any details, but important events stuck out. Sometimes Sans would see himself on the surface with his brother, Undyne, Alphys, King Asgore, and some lady that looked familiar to him - but he was sure they never met! Sometimes he would be alone, being one of the last to survive, the fate of the Underground in his phalanges.

   Other times only his brother would be dead. The memories never showed Papyrus being killed, only dead.

_Sans would get brief flashes of light gray blending with the white, and dots of red - tiny pieces of fabric left from a scarf, the scarf. Every monster had a item that they held dear or represented them, and for the skeleton brothers (both of them) it was the crimson scarf Papyrus donned on his neck. They made it, together. The small skeleton wouldn't cry at his brother's death, he wouldn't get mad, he would just feel an absence. A fraction of his SOUL that was empty. He just disappeared after that, carrying on silently until the end._

_The memory cut to another scene._

_"you will be judged." The human would only give a slight nod, accept their judgement, and move forwards. Keep moving forwards, always try._

_"all that kid ever does, isn't it." Sans would murmur to himself._

   The memory ended. Sans forgot how long he was staring into space, and nearly jumped out of his non-existent skin (he was feeling oddly jittery today) to find another skeleton in front of him.

   "SANS! WAKE UP, BROTHER!!"  
   "what the- oh. uh, sup. catch anything yet?"

   "NO! ANYWAY, PLEASE DO NOT SLEEP. A HUMAN COULD COME ANY SECOND, EVEN N-AW, SHOOT." Papyrus turned to the large purple door, finding nothing. He sighed in an almost theatrical manner. "...WHEN WILL A HUMAN COME TO FACE MY GREATNESS?"

    _hopefully never._ Sans thought with minor bitterness. Not bitter because of Papyrus, of course - because of what might happen when the human arrived. What he said contradicted his thoughts.

   "who knows? what i _do_ know is that you'll be the one to get 'em, bro."

   "NYEH HEH HEH, OF COURSE I WILL!" The corners of his mouth curved up slightly. Sans tried to make his perma-smile equally genuine, but it looked strained. 

   "hey, do you think when we're done we could go home, y'know, together?" He felt conflicted. Even though everyone was alive at the moment, he still felt slightly bereft. He didn't want to be a burden with his possibly worsening condition, but he wanted to be near Papyrus as well. To protect him...or at least try? 

   "THE MORNING SHIFT ENDS LATER FOR ME." Papyrus's eye sockets sparkled. "DOES THAT MEAN YOU'RE WILLING TO FINALLY DO YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES, FOR  _ME?!_ "

   The small skeleton shrugged with a grin. "yup. i mean, you take up space, so you  _matter a lot._ "

   "NYEH...THANK YOU, SANS!" The joke went a little over the tall skeleton's head, but he could tell it was a pun. He let it slide, just this once.

   And with that, Papyrus bounded off into the distance, probably to work on his latest and greatest puzzle - the Gauntlet of Deadly Terror! It had spikes, swings, ropes, and even that confounded dog! 

   

   

       

  

  


	2. Gold Upon the Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aforementioned strange behavior is happening with Sans. His HP is somehow even lower - 0.9? What is this wizardry? - and it causes his emotions to get messed up.  
> Papyrus begins getting worried like the good brother he is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Both of them are such good brothers and I love them okay? Sorry, I'm weird. XD  
> \- The reason Sans's HP is decreasing is because of the "emptiness" monsters dying left on him. (especially Papyrus and Toriel, even though he technically doesn't know her yet.)  
> 

   The small skeleton stayed at his post after Papyrus left, awaiting his return. On the outside he looked just fine, but on the inside he didn't even know. He was really good at hiding things, but even  _Sans_ would admit it was stressful. He would keep getting these sudden flashes of memories - some were resets (but he didn't realize they were, just fragments), others were actual memories of his past. 

   There was one where he and his brother were babybones. He...he was giving Papyrus the scarf. It was used for the "battle body", sure, but the scarf was a special thing the two skeletons had for years. He just let the memory take over for a little while.

   That was a mistake.

    _Sans walked up to his little brother one day, and had something in the pocket of his hoodie. It was a bright red scarf. All skeletons liked the color blue because their magic was blue, but Papyrus took a liking for the color red, too._

_"hey, bro! i got a surprise for you."_

 

_"REALLY?!" Hmm. He was actually surprised, and he wasn't even given the scarf yet. What a weird kid - that's just another reason to like him. Another thing was that he had strangely advanced communication skills for his age (five, at the time)- for the people he was close to, he could understand and speak with no problem._

_"really, really." Sans would admit, he sometimes enjoyed teasing his brother - just a bit. He handed Papyrus the crimson fabric. The little skeleton's eye sockets had sparkles accumulating in them._

  just one glow that makes everything a tiny bit sweeter. _Sans thought to himself fondly._

_"I LOVE IT! I'LL NEVER TAKE IT OFF!" Papyrus said, then he paused, a clever smile going across his features. Sans knew what he was thinking (it was kind of obvious, but shh, let the child have his fun), but he played along anyway. "HEY...DO YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I LOVE?"_

_"i dunno, what?"_

_Papyrus ran towards his brother and tackle-hugged him. Where in the Underground did he learn that? Oh well, Sans didn't mind anyway._

_"I LOVE YOU!!!"_

_"heh...love you too, papyrus."_

   He actually never took it off. Unless...U-unless...

   "ghhhk!" The mild throbbing of Sans's soul escalated, and he was out like a light. No, literally, his eye lights flickered out.

* * *

   "SAAAAANS...WHERE ARE YOUUU?" Papyrus called, voice echoing through Snowdin Town. The residents didn't mind - they just took it as normal skeleton shenanigans. In the younger of the two's case, he was taking it as normal shenanigans as well. He was in for a surprise - and not a very pleasant one, either. 

   Papyrus hadn't seen his brother move from his post once since he left. He was returning so they could go home together as requested. He was probably sleeping...

    _YOU'RE SO LAZY SOMETIMES..._ Papyrus thought to himself.

   Finally, he found Sans. He  _was_ sleeping...sort of. Just in a really creepy way. His eye sockets were still open, and the lights in them were invisible. His smile was  _unnaturally_ wide.

   "SANS? CAN YOU HEAR ME?" No response. The tall skeleton shook his brother lightly.

   "W-WAKE UP, BROTHER!" The only response was Sans's left eye socket twitching a little. 

   "WHAT IN THE NAME OF ASGORE HAPPENED TO YOU?! I...I SHOULD TAKE YOU HOME." Papyrus yelled, now visibly concerned. Subsequently, he picked his brother and carried him home. 

   "I AM G-GOING TO BE _SO C-CROSS_ WITH YOU WHEN YOU WAKE UP..."


	3. The Things You'll Never Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One awakes, feelings are at stake. The author has some carrot cake! (I love rhymes, and yum, cake. :D)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the summary doesn't make any sense, so I'll translate: Sans wakes up, and his brother can't decide if he should be relieved or more angry than he's ever been. Poor Papyrus doesn't know why he's acting this way, and poor Sans has to go through it.  
> \- This is where the angst begins. If angst isn't your thing, don't fret, it's fits with the plot. No story of mine ends without fluff - heh heh!  
> \- I love writing skeleton kisses on the cheekbone/forehead. It's adorable. I love that innocent fluff!

   _"_ _...are you sure you can handle being by yourself like this?"_

_"OF COURSE! I JUST HAVE A TEENY COLD!"_

_"alright. i'll be right back to get some food from the shop. don't open the door to anyone you don't know!"_

_"I KNOW, SANS! JEEZ! I'M 10 YEARS OLD, I'M PRETTY MUCH AN ADULT."_

_"snnrk, whatever you say. bye, little bro."_

_"I'M NOT LITT-_ NYEHCHOO! _"_

_*click!*_

Papyrus remembered when he was younger, he was a little vulnerable and  _Sans_ was the responsible one. He got sick a few times, but both of them dealt with it. So, in general, their childhood was pleasant. They also argued sometimes, but all siblings did that so it was okay. They made things together, sometimes played together, Sans would help his little brother with school, and he also read him a bedtime story every night. He doesn't do it now, of course, but sometimes when he thought Papyrus was asleep, he would nuzzle his teeth upon the younger's skull with a soft _click!_ It was like a kiss...for skeletons. The reading is still a tradition they do today, and the tall skeleton is fond of it.

  What Sans was doing right now neither of them were fond of it  _at all._ Papyrus was more than relieved that his brother was okay at the moment, but he was also really angry at the fact he wasn't told something was wrong. He would've tried his best to be supportive, but he can't do it now! 

   "YOU ARE SO DIFFICULT, BROTHER...WHAT'S GOING ON WITH YOU?" Papyrus sighed, sitting next to his sleeping(?) brother on the couch. His eye sockets were closed, so he didn't look super-creepy anymore.

   "i...'m ok..."

   "YOU'RE AWAKE?!"

   "what...?"

   "I SAID, 'YOU'RE AWAKE?!', BUT IT SEEMS THAT QUESTION IS ALREADY ANSWERED."

   "oh. hi...bro." When Sans opened his eye sockets, and they were empty like the before. However, the lights were slowly, hazily, returning.

   The tall skeleton realized he was casually talking to Sans, who was previously unconscious in the snow,  and he acted accordingly. He started crying a little, because he wasn't the type to hold in his feelings.

   "I WAS SO WORRIED, S-SA-ANS! I WAS SO WORRI-IED..."

   Sans very clumsily put his hand on the tall skeleton's shoulder. It was the most reassurance he could give right now. 

   "i'm ok, it's ok.

   "I'M VERY HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, BUT, I'M ALSO MAD AT YOU! WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME SOMETHING WAS WRONG?!"

   "i don't wanna...give you more...work than y...ou need."

   Papyrus lowered his voice slightly, not much, but noticeably. "I MAY GET MAD AT YOUR SHENANIGANS, BUT WE ARE BROTHERS. IT DOESN'T MATTER THAT I'M YOUNGER, OR THAT YOU'RE OLDER. WE LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER."

   The small skeleton tried his best to smile genuinely for his brother. He didn't care for many things, but one thing (or monster) he cared a little bit too much for was him. Which was part of the reason of this mess. He breathed. "sorry for...all 'a this."

   Papyrus sighed fondly. "I WILL TALK TO YOU ABOUT THIS LATER. NOW, AND I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SAYING THIS...YOU NEED TO REST!"

   "ok." Sans knew what he was getting himself into, and he didn't like it either, but this was his brother, and Papyrus was persistent.

He was going to tell the truth for once.

 

   


	4. Both Love and LOVE Never Stall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The skeleton brothers have one of their few actual arguments.  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like writing titles that rhyme, have you noticed they rhyme? (Snow, Wall, Know, Stall)  
> This is the second-to-last chapter: the last one will be Chapter 5.

   When Papyrus left the living room, Sans was just left with his thoughts. He considered many things, because he didn't really want to  _do_ anything. It's likely anyone would act the same, because he just had the monster equivalent of a heart attack. (soul attack?) He had some knowledge of why it happened - even though the resets partially numbed him, the human's actions would never completely leave his mind. He still had some worry for the monsters he knew - the Lady Behind The Door, Alphys maybe, Undyne maybe, heck, even Asgore.

    He would never care less about his closest and only relative. 

    Speaking of him, the small skeleton also knew he was bound to be "interrogated" on this. It was not at all something he looked forward to, but this was partially his fault (it really wasn't, though, that was how he saw himself), so he dealt with it.

   _just let me do this myself, papyrus. you shouldn't have to deal with the same issues as me._  

_i'm sans the skeleton. since when do i worry, huh?_

 _why...why?_ \- This was when he was less aware. It wasn't very well articulated. This thought was around the same time when he repeated "what?" every time Papyrus said something.

_should i tell my brother everything?_

Thoughts like this one were abundant, and they kept appearing until Sans fell asleep.

   "zzzzzz..."

* * *

   When he woke up, he was in his (abnormally neat?) mattress. There was a click at the door, and it opened. 

   "HELLO." The small skeleton's pupils constricted in surprise, and so would have Papyrus's, if he had them. Which he didn't.

   "h-hey. are you doing alright?"

   "ME? WHY, OF COURSE! I SHOULD BE ASKING YOU."

   "oh. i'm ok. better than before, at least."

   The ambience was very awkward.

   "so...you wanted to have a talk with me, huh?"

   "YES."

   "do you wanna do that right now?"

   "NO." Papyrus wanted the "environment" to be good for that conversation, and no offense to his brother, but this wasn't it. He wanted to say other things first.

   "uh, ok then."

   "I JUST WANT TO DECLARE THAT I'M STILL MAD AT YOU."

   Sans raised an eyebrow that he didn't have. "that's...it?" He sighed. "listen, pap, i'm sorry. i didn't do that on purpose."

  Papyrus crossed his arms. "HMPH."

   "aw, c'mon. it's no big deal. it'll probably go away."

    _what happened to telling the truth? i know damn well this isn't gonna go away._

   "NO BIG DEAL?! YOU PASSED OUT IN THE SNOW FOR NO REASON!" 

   Sans winced. "that only happened once. i'm fine."

   There were a few moments of silence. "...I JUST DON'T GET IT."

   "get what?"

   "I CAN'T UNDERSTAND HOW SOMEONE- HOW _YOU_ COULD CARE SO LITTLE. I THINK EVERYTHING, EVERYONE MATTERS. NOBODY IS BAD, ANYONE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF THEY TRY."

   It wasn't that Sans didn't care, he just had nigh nothing left to care  _about._ He admired Papyrus's values, and below the tall skeleton's semi-narcissistic personality showed he cared about everyone just as much he did himself. Ethical values were a confusing thing to grasp, however, and from older's perspective he thought his brother's were most likely wrong - but really, who knows? Who is it up to for determining what is right and what is not? Was it personal opinion, or was it a community matter? 

   Papyrus continued. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR VIEW IS, BECAUSE YOU NEVER TELL ME ANYTHING. I KNOW YOU CARE ABOUT  _SOME_ THING, BUT YOURSELF? FROM RECENT EVENTS, I ASSUME NOT." He sighed. "WHY? WHY DON'T YOU CARE? DON'T YOU SEE HOW MUCH THIS WORRIES ME?" He didn't even sound mad anymore, just disappointed. That was one emotion Sans couldn't handle - he's seen all feelings, but he just couldn't take disappointment from his brother. His brother, that he raised. He couldn't handle knowing he didn't do well. 

   The small skeleton remained silent. He didn't have an answer. Well, he did, but he couldn't say it. These complications gave him the smallest degree of anger. He wasn't very good with that one either - just brushing things off with an "ok" or a "forgeddaboutit." He wasn't accustomed to being angry.

   "yeah, i know i don't care as much as you do, but 'why'? have you considered the fact that we're almost total opposites?" He snapped, albeit quietly, so as not to be heard.

    _no, don't do that, sans. i shouldn't take it out on my brother. no. do_ not. 

   He immediately regretted saying that when he saw a single luminescent blue tear run down Papyrus's cheekbone. No other tears followed, it was just one. Shit. He must have heard anyway.

   "I...I HAVE TO GO. TO DO...VERY SPECIFIC THINGS. BYE." The tall skeleton was never a good liar. He closed the door, uncharacteristically softly.  

   "why...why?" Sans asked himself again after his brother left, mirroring his first thought when awakening. Why. It was a good question in which there was no answer.

   

   

      

  

    

   


	5. Sans la Fin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The bros stay in their separate rooms for a while. Papyrus gets a call from a friend. Sans stays silent until he finally breaks. There is resolve at the end, don't worry!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand here is the final chapter! This is longest fanfiction I've ever written, and it only took me a bit over a week! I'm so proud of myself! :D  
> \- The title is "Without the End" in French, because no story has a true end. There is no happy ending - because it will only get happier with time! Joy has no limits! Also, I got to make a pun - get it? Sans? *wink wink nudge nudge*  
> \- This will be the angstiest, fluffiest, dialogue-heaviest, and the longest chapter. Get ready, kiddos!  
> \- This chapter was ever-so-slightly inspired by the Flowey is Not a Good Life Coach, by unrestedjade. It's an oldie, but it was one of the best fanfictions I've read. Of course, Flowey isn't even in this, but some concepts such as Alphys texting Papyrus and "magic signals" are.  
> \- I hope you all enjoyed this. <3

   The tall skeleton sat cross-legged on his racecar bed, elbows resting on his femurs, hands on his mandible. There was still a lone, very faint tear track on his cheekbone. He jumped when he heard a ringing sound - it was his phone. He picked it up milliseconds before the second ring (he always picked up right after the first!), and saw it was his friend, Undyne.

   "Hey Papyrus!" Undyne yelled through the receiver (it was her version of a kind greeting). "You didn't show up for our special, one-on-one training today! You okay, dude?"

   Papyrus was unsure how to reply to that - he didn't really know how he felt. He's rarely felt sad before, being the excited and cheerful young skeleton he is, but when he _is_ sad, it hits him. Hard. He was worried about Sans, but also just... _so_ disappointed (for lack of a better word) in him. When will the small skeleton understand he wants to help? 

_SHOULD I CHECK ON HIM? NO, HE PROBABLY WANTS TO BE ALONE AS PER USUAL. SIGH, I JUST WANT THINGS TO BE NORMAL BETWEEN US AGAIN..._

   "Are you still there?"

   "OH - UM, YES! MY APOLOGIES, I'M JUST VERY...BUSY RIGHT NOW.  _I'M_ FINE." He wasn't fond of lying. Lies built up until you couldn't handle your relations with people anymore - which is bad! Very bad! He just wanted to be friends with everyone...everyone that would _let_ him, that is. He attempted to frown, which was hard for both of the brothers, they just couldn't not smile.

   "What's that supposed to mean?"

   "TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, I'M DOING ALRIGHT. AND HOW ARE YOU?" Papyrus asked, eager to change the conversation.

   "I'm as good as we monsters can be. I've been training extra hard because, for some reason, I think I'm gonna need it - I can FEEL it!! And, also..." She blushed on the other side of the line. "I've been watching these human history videos with Alphys, she's so cool..."

   "ALPHYS, SHE SEEMS NICE? I'VE ONLY MET HER ON UNDERNET." He paused, small beads of sweat gathering on his skull. "AHEM, SO, I GUESS THAT'S A GOODBYE THEN. GOODBYE, UNDYNE!"

   The fish woman's voice lowered slightly for a moment. "Stay safe, Papyrus. That's an order. Just give me a call if something's up, okay? I'm your friend, and I'm here for you." Her voice normalized again. "Ah, enough with the mushy stuff! Bye, skele-nerd!"

    _*click!*_

* * *

   Sans didn't know what to do, so he decided on what he did best. Which was nothing. He just layed on his mattress, pulling a stray sheet over him. He shivered, cold and hot simultaneously. He wasn't sure if it was because of his condition or stress. 

   The small skeleton hated to admit it, but maybe it would be best if he stayed away from Papyrus for a tiny while. His little brother needed some space after the...argument they had. He couldn't bear to see the tall skeleton's wounded (emotionally speaking) expression a second time. 

   He just curled on his side, not saying a word. Only thinking...not that any of the thoughts were very positive.

    _from what i can remember, this's never happened before._

_oh god, i messed up._

_why did i have to slip up._

_i want to see him, but i shouldn't._

_what if he ran away by jumping out the window? he's done that before, i think._

_ok, that's just being irrational._

_just go to sleep, or something..._

And that he did, although he was twitching every so often. Flinching at nothing. How peculiar...?

* * *

    The two skeletons stayed in their respective rooms for a while, with papyrus tidying his already-clean room and Sans trying (and soon failing) to sleep the whole thing off. They both wanted to see each other, but decided against it, assuming the other didn't. 

* * *

_Alphys 9:00 pm_

_H-hey! You probably know me as the r-royal scientist. U-Undyne told me she was worried about you. I d-don't know you very well, but if you need to talk I'm here...I, um, know a b-bit about that kind of thing. Bye! ^_^_

Papyrus received a text from that girl Undyne was talking about - Alphys, was it? He heard she was a doctor. The "sciency" stuff was more of...his brother's...thing, but he thought it was cool regardless. However, the text - it mildly annoyed him. On any other occasion he would be delighted (someone on Undernet was actually talking to him! This would surpass his already great prowess!)...but now, not so much. He didn't want anyone else to be involved with this, anyone else to be hurt.

    It was a little later than nine o'clock now. This was normally around the time when the tall skeleton would be read a bedtime story. He wouldn't sleep, of course, but there was something about Sans's calm, moderately deep voice that he liked. It would fill him with excitement before the reading, and with glee afterwards. ...He knew he wouldn't be getting one tonight. The best description of this feeling would most likely be...bittersweet. The feeling brought forth a memory from when Papyrus saw himself being much, much smaller.

_Sans was six years old, and Papyrus was merely two. This was the day the story ritual began._

_"this one?" Sans asked his little brother, pointing to a book on a shelf in the Snowdin "Librarby."_

_"YAH, TAT ONE!"  His little accent was caused by his youth - still learning how to pronounce words. However, he was a fast learner when it came to communication. The more intellectual things, such as science and math, would be left to the older of the two._

_"heh, ok." The young skeleton led Papyrus to a nearby corner with beanbag-like chairs in them. They sat in one together, able to due to being children._

_"ready? here we go!"  The little skeleton's eyes sparkled as Sans continued. "once upon a time, there was a fluffy bunny who lived in a meadow. there were many beu...beuti...beautiful flowers and trees.   fluffy bunny had many friends, and played with them every day. unfor...unfortunately, one day he got lost in the tall grasses. he couldn't see his friends, anywhere. oh no!"_

_"OH NO!" Papyrus echoed._

_"he looked, and looked, and looked. there was nothing but grass, until he saw a very wide tree. his friends came out from behind it! 'surprise!' they said, and fluffy bunny laughed along. he knew that even if he was lost, his friends would always be there. the end."_

_It was only when he finished that Sans realized his brother's eye sockets were watering slightly._

_"you alright?"_

_"YAH. END GOT ME."  Papyrus put his little hand on top of his brother's, and smiled. "TANK YOU FOR STORY. NOW, LET'S GO!"_

He laid his phalanges where his soul was, where his heart would be. It ached ever so subtly. The tall skeleton was a grown monster and didn't need protection from Sans anymore, but he still cared in copious amounts for him. Yes, Sans was lazy, made jokes at the wrong times, practically lived at Grillby's, and just _didn't care for himself_ \- but did care for some things. He was still the greatest older brother Papyrus could ask for. He was "The Great", and he probably wouldn't be without the small skeleton raising him that way, always being by his side.

   "I MISS YOU, BROTHER..."

    _i miss you too._

Papyrus nearly fell off of his bed.   

* * *

   The small skeleton couldn't handle being silent anymore. With anyone else, he'd laugh it off, but his brother was an exception. The only thing worse than Papyrus being dead was him being alive, but upset. That's why, when he heard a loud (yet somehow careful?) knock at the door, he didn't know whether to be relieved or apprehensive.

   "uh, come in?"

   "S-SANS?! YOU SAID SOMETHING, BUT I DIDN'T HEAR IT."

   Holy crap. That  _actually worked._ Sans has heard a few times that monsters who were really close to each other - whether it be a familial, friendly, or romantic bond - could have contact through magic in rare occurrences. The messages usually were very simple, portrayed as feelings or phrases such as "like", "love", "need", "want", or "help". It's been hours since this whole thing happened. Argument and many, many differences aside - it was hard not to feel a little bad from the absence.

   "i...i did. did you know what it said?"

   Papyrus touched his chest again. "YOU MISSED...SOMETHING?"

   Sans sighed. He should say it. He really has nothing to lose, because most monsters including himself will only see this as a faded flashback - something that never happened. 

   "you."

   "WHAT?"

   "i missed, you."

   "AH..." The tall skeleton looked briefly happy, before his expression sobered. "HEY, SANS?"

   "yeah?"

   "I'M SORRY FOR GETTING MAD AT YOU. IT'S JUST, YOU REALLY WORRY ME SOMETIMES. I MAY BE VERY GREAT, BUT WOULD I BE WITHOUT YOU TO HAVE GUIDED ME THERE? I DON'T WANT TO LOSE MY ONLY BROTHER."

   "it's ok. i appreciate you caring, really, but...i pay the bills and have a job as a hotdog salesman, that pretty much makes me a certified adult." He chuckled dryly. "i didn't mean to snap at ya like that. i'm sorry too, paps."

   Papyrus pulled his brother into a hug. 

   "wha-"

   "HUSH. PLEASE, JUST... _EMBRACE_ IT." Lord, he couldn't believe he just said that. This just shows the incredible lengths he'd go for Sans - making a joke at the wrong time. Sans gave a light snicker.

   "I FORGIVE YOU. COULD YOU AT LEAST TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED, THOUGH? WHAT CAUSED YOU TO, YOU KNOW..."

   The small skeleton would never tell the full truth on that one, but his brother definitely deserved something. "yeah, ok." He took a deep breath. "sometimes, i have these, uh, dreams. most of which are not good, and they feel so  _real._ they don't bother me much anymore, but, they sure loved givin' me a scare."

   "WHAT HAPPENED IN THEM?" 

   "you...died. and i couldn't do anything about it. i could only watch it happen. i guess seeing it again and again and  _again_ , uh, shocked me?"

Papyrus looked a little shocked himself. He couldn't imagine dreaming about someone dying. The only nightmare he'd ever had was when he was a child.

"DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOU SAID TO ME WHEN I HAD A BAD DREAM?"

   "...yeah, i do."

     _Papyrus was only seven years old when he came into his brother's room at two in the morning._

_"SANS...?" Papyrus "whispered", which was the volume of the average speaking voice._

_"fffive more minutes..." Sans mumbled. He became more aware as he saw his little brother's large sockets in the dark room. "oh, hey. what are you doing up so early?"_

_" I, UM...WANTED TO SEE YOU, JUST BECAUSE."_

_"pfft, yeah, right." Sans touched the little skeleton's cheekbones. "papyrus, are you crying?"_

_He sniffed. "N-NO. I DON'T CRY."_

_The older child's tone softened. "what's up, bro?"_

_They both stayed quiet for a few moments before Papyrus murmured "I HAD A BAD DREAM."_

_"what was it about?"_

_"YOU...YOU WERE_  REALLY _MAD AT ME._ _YOU W-WERE SCARING ME. BUT YOU'RE NOT MAD...R-RIGHT?"_

_"of course not. we annoy each other sometimes, but all bros do that."  Sans sighed. "c'mon, don't be sad."_

_Papyrus sobbed, and it was a (figuratively) heart-breaking sound. It wasn't nice at all to see the normally enthusiastic skeleton so afraid._

_"DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT AGAIN..."_

_"i won't. we're more likely to get on the surface than i do that." Sans quarter jokes - it was like a half joke, but even more genuine. He meant what he said. "why don't you sleep with me tonight?"_

_"R-REALLY?"_

_"yeah. but, like, actually sleep. i don't want you fallin' asleep in your breakfast tomorrow, heh."_

_The little skeleton wrappped his arms around his brother, and sniffled again. This time, however, they were tears of joy. "THANK YOU._ _"_

_"you're welcome, little bro. g'night."_

_"GOOD NIGHT!" Papyrus was tentative for just a moment before a content smile bloomed across his features. "...I LOVE YOU, SANS."_

_"i love you, too. don't let any stupid dream tell you otherwise."_

_And they slept, any perpetuating fragments of Papyrus's dream finally withering away. That was the only nightmare he had and would ever have._

"PARAPHRASING YOUR WORDS, THE WORDS OF THE SAME MONSTER THAT HELPED ME THEN, I WILL BE THERE FOR YOU IN RETURN. DON'T HAVE ANY DREAM TELL YOU OTHERWISE."

   The tall, once little skeleton then noticed his brother was crying quietly. Sans hadn't felt emotions this strong in a long, long time. Papyrus felt much more responsible, knowledgeable. It was like they switched places for the day. 

   "thank you..."

   "YOU'RE WELCOME, 'LITTLE' BROTHER." 

   That night, when the whole ordeal was finally resolved, they went to sleep. However, when Sans thought Papyrus was asleep (he wasn't, much to the tall skeleton's joy), he pressed his teeth to his forehead. It was like back then. But now it was even more meaningful. 

It wasn't just one being there for his brother. They were there  _for each other!_

**THE END! <3**

   

   

 


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